When people rent a home, it is expected that their premises will be provided for them in safe condition. In addition to when tenants move in, landlords are also expected to take basic steps to ensure that the property remains free of unreasonably safe conditions. In Alaska, one of those basic steps involves managing fireplace chimneys properly to make sure that dangerous gases do not threaten the tenants. Unfortunately, four people were recently made very ill in an Alaska carbon monoxide poisoning incident, and it appears that some good fortune saved several lives.
According to rescue officials, this Alaska carbon monoxide poisoning incident occurred on Monday afternoon in the Fairbanks area. An oil-burning furnace was burning to heat the home, but the chimney had become clogged with soot. As a result, the home was filled with carbon monoxide fumes. The residents did not realize this because there were no alarms present. A woman happened to come home at that time, wake the residents and call 911, and while four people were extremely ill from the fumes, no one died, which could have happened a short time later.
Carbon Monoxide Poisoning Statistics
First and foremost, we hope that those people who were harmed are able to recover quickly and get back into their lives, and we hope that no long-term health damages has been done to any of them. In addition, this Alaska carbon monoxide poisoning accident will now become part of the overall statistics in regards to this issue nationwide. Every year, 10,000 people in the United States are made very ill by these gas fumes and more than 2,000 people are killed, making carbon monoxide the number one killer of people because of poisoning in the country.
Alaska Personal Injury Lawyers
While more investigation would be necessary, it seems possible that the landlord neglected to properly maintain the safety of the chimney and to install carbon monoxide detectors. If that's the case, it's possible for those who were harmed to file an Alaska personal injury lawsuit against the landlord. If such a claim was filed and was successful, it could lead to an award of damages that compensate them for their medical costs, their lost income and their pain and suffering.
If you have been harmed by the negligence of someone else, you need to seek the help of Alaska personal injury lawyers who have been holding those responsible for the damages they have caused accountable for many years. Contact Barber & Banker today to schedule a free initial consultation.
Alaska Personal Injury Lawyer